How do I transfer or reactivate my voter registration?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
If you moved, file for a TRANSFER of registration at the COMELEC Office of the Election Officer of your new city or municipality. If your registration was DEACTIVATED — most commonly for failing to vote in two (2) successive regular elections, or for missing biometrics under RA 10367 — you file for REACTIVATION at your Election Officer; RA 8189 governs deactivation (§27) and reactivation (§28). Both are done in person during COMELEC's continuing-registration period and stop during the pre-election blackout (120 days before a regular election, 90 before a special). There is no fee.
Do it now — step by step
- Confirm you're inside COMELEC's continuing-registration window — it stops 120 days before a regular election (90 before a special one); COMELEC announces the current dates.
- To TRANSFER (you moved): file an Application for Transfer of Registration Record in person at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO) of your NEW city or municipality.
- To REACTIVATE (deactivated for missing two successive regular elections, missing biometrics, or other RA 8189 grounds): file an Application for Reactivation at your OEO — the iRehistro portal can pre-fill the form before you appear in person.
- Bring a valid ID to your OEO appointment for biometrics/verification.
- There is no fee — never pay anyone claiming to expedite or guarantee your transfer or reactivation.
Cost: Free — voter registration, transfer, and reactivation carry no fee under RA 8189 (as of 2026-07).
Open the official portal ↗Primary sources
Frequently asked
Why was my registration deactivated?
The most common reason under RA 8189 is failing to vote in two (2) successive regular elections; other grounds include missing biometrics under RA 10367 and certain court/legal grounds. You reactivate by filing an application with your Election Officer.
How do I transfer if I moved to a new city?
File an application for transfer of registration record at the Office of the Election Officer of your new city or municipality during the continuing-registration period. This moves your record to your new precinct.
Is there a deadline?
Yes — registration, transfer, and reactivation all stop during the pre-election blackout: 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election (RA 8189 §8). Act before COMELEC's announced cutoff. There is no fee.
Take action
Got a similar problem?
File a complaint and we'll pre-fill BSP, SEC, DTI, and small-claims letters for you.
How to get and fix your government papers without a fixer — a PSA birth, marriage, or death certificate and a CENOMAR (order via PSA Serbilis / PSAHelpline), correcting a misspelled name or wrong first name administratively under RA 9048 and a wrong day/month of birth or sex under RA 10172 (no court needed; the birth YEAR still needs a Rule 108 court petition), late registration of an unregistered birth, the PhilSys national ID and its acceptance as valid proof of identity under RA 11055, applying for or renewing a passport at the DFA and its 10-year adult validity under RA 10928 (amending RA 8239), what to do when you lose your passport, getting an NBI clearance and resolving a 'hit', police and barangay clearances, registering to vote and transferring or reactivating your registration with COMELEC (RA 8189, mandatory biometrics under RA 10367), the cedula / Community Tax Certificate under the Local Government Code (RA 7160), and your anti-red-tape rights against fixers and undue extra requirements under RA 11032 (Ease of Doing Business Act) and RA 9485.